The Sunday News
RENOWNED pint-sized United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean musician Lamont Chitepo warmly known as Tu Short has released yet another chart-blazing single and album, sealing the void, which many thought he had left in the music industry.
His track — Maiwe — is already making waves in UK, Zimbabwean radio stations and surprisingly in Nigeria, while his album Invisible, which he released last year, is beginning to gain recognition.
Maiwe has received relatively good response on social media and is being used as skit on an online comedy show.
The track features a Nigerian artiste known as Kin, who recently released a single titled Amazing Grace and has reportedly worked with the likes of BET award winner Ice Prince.
“Maiwe was influenced by a combination of love and happiness which goes hand in hand. I wanted to create a love song that people can dance to and celebrate their loved ones. This song talks about having been around the world and meeting many people and then finally meeting that special someone.
“As much as this can be a fantasy for other people, the fantasy of meeting that special someone was the main influence behind this song for me,” he said.
Tu Short rose to stardom after releasing and producing various gospel projects, which he is shying away from to try and penetrate the mainstream music industry.
He said he teamed up with a UK-based DJ — King Alfred to promote the single.
“I am due to appear on BBC Radio 1Xtra for a live interview with Afrobeats’ DJ Edu. I am presently working on a music video with another artiste Tatenda Jamera. This will be out end of June this year,” he said.
Tu Short was born in Harare in 1982.
“I did my secondary education at Mukai High school. Although there were no music classes at school, I would initiate music activities during art and drama lessons. While in secondary school I would refuse to go back to the village on holidays unless I had a fully working stereo and enough money for batteries to listen to my radio.
‘‘This would then really demonstrate my love for music. My brother constantly made fun of how much I loved my radio. Along with my sister Chiedza we would listen to the then Radio 3 hits and I would always predict which songs were likely to make it on charts,” he said.
He said he was always artistic not just in music but also in drawing and other forms of art.
“Some would say that I took after my father who was a wood and stone sculptor and also played the guitar,” he said.
The lively Tu Short said before relocating to the UK he recorded his first solo project titled Party Chete.
“That is when I seriously went by the name Tu Short. In the UK I stayed out of the limelight and focused on developing my music production skills and acquiring an education. I graduated from Birmingham City University, with a BSc Hons in Social Sciences. I then managed to use both my academic knowledge and musical abilities to impact my local community positively. I was commended by the Crawley Member of Parliament, Laura Moffat for that,” he said.
He said his music was inspired by current events in his life.
“When I wrote the Invisible album I was walking through a journey of discovering myself spiritually. I wanted to be invisible from the music and the fame and I wanted the name of God to be the one on the forefront. When I was working on this album every time I opened my mouth to sing I just wanted to praise God for the amazing things he had done for me. God is my pillar and without him I can never make it in this journey of life,” said Tu Short.
He said his greatest musical inspiration was Tuku and American singer — R Kelly.
“My musical influences change all the time but the person that influenced me the most as a youngster was R Kelly. The fact that he was able to sing, write, produce and rap inspired me the most. I am also inspired by Oliver Mtukudzi. The fact that Tuku doesn’t have to floss and that his music speaks for itself and is relevant to people from all walks of life is amazing. I also like the fact that his music presents true Africanism,” he added.
